Lantern-holder.



Patented May l5, I900.

R. E. MGGUNLEY. LANTERN HOLDER.

(Application filed Feb. 18. 1900.)

(Ho Modal.)

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THE mums PETERS no. PHOYOLIYHQ, WASHINGTON. D, c.

Nrrn STATES PATENT Orricn,

ROBERT E. MCCONLEY, OF WHITCOMB, \VISCONSIN.

LANTERN-HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 649,545, dated May 15, 1900. Application filed February 13, 1900. $eria1No.5,085. (N model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it'known that 1, ROBERT E. MCCONLEY, acitizen of the United States,residing at Whitcomb, in the county of Shawano and State of \Visconsin, have invented a new and useful Lantern-Holder, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to lantern-holders in general, and more particularly to that class adapted for holding a lantern upon a vehicle, the object of the invention being to provide a cheap and simple device which may be engaged with the tongue of a vehicle to hold the lantern suspended below the tongue, so that it will throw light upon the road.

A further object of the invention is to provide a holder which maybe engaged with the frame of an ordinary lantern in the place of the usual carrying-bail.

The invention -consists of a pair of jaws formed of wire, the material of one jaw being bent to form springs which hold the jaws yieldably in their engaging positions, while the extremities of the wire of which the second jaw is formed are bent inwardly to engage the lantern-frame. In the drawing there is shown a perspective view of the holder engaged with a lantern and illustrating in dotted lines the positions of the tongue and whiffletree when the jaws are engaged therewith.

Referring now to the drawing, the holder comprises an upper jaw and a lower jaw, of which the upper jaw consists of a single wire bent upon itself to form two parallel members 6 and 7, having a connecting-web 8. These parallel members 6 and 7 are bent at right angles to form extensions 9 and 10, which hold the web 8 in a plane below and parallel with the plane of the members 6 and 7, the web lying at right angles to these members. At a suitable point in the rear of these downwardly-turned portions 9 and 10 the side members 6 and 7 are again bent downwardly, as shown at 11 and 12, to lie substantially parallel with the portions 9'and 10, respectively, after which they are continued rearwardly and parallel to.for1n parallel arms 13 and 14, the ends of which are bowed outwardly, as shown at 15 and 16, and the extremities of which are bent toward each other to lie in axial alinement, these extremities 17 being adapted to engage perforations in the frame 18 of the lantern, with which perfora tions the bail of the lantern is usually engaged. The lower jaw of the holder consists also of a single wire which is bent upon itself to form side members 20and 21, havingacon necting-Web 22,which latteris normally somewhat longer than the web 8. The central portion of this web 22 is then bent into U shape, as illustrated, so that the web comprises two end sections 23 and 24, between which lies the web section 25, connected thereto by parallel portions 26 and 27. The ends of the members 20 and 21 adjacent their connecting-web are bent upwardly to form extensions 28 and 29, which correspond to the extensions 0 and 10 of the upper jaw, after which these side members are bent upwardly at right angles to themselves, as shown at 30 and 31, to correspond to the similar portions 11 and 12 of the members6and 7. The members are then bent upon themselves alternately in opposite directions to form zigzag springs 32 and 33, the extremities of which are formed into eyes 34 and 35, which encir cle the portions 13 and 14 of the members 6 and 7. The wire of the second jaw, adjacent the extensions 30 and 31, is connected with the portions 13 and 14 of the wire of the upper jaw, adjacent the portions 11 and 12, by helical wrappings 36 and 37, which permit pivotal movement of one jaw with respect to the other and enable the springs and 33 to exert their influence upon the jaws to hold them yieldinglyin their clamping positions.

In applying this holder to a vehicle the ex tremities 17 of the arms 13 and 14 are disengaged from the lantern-frame, and the holder is manipulated to cause the upper jaw to engage over the whiffletree, while the lower jaw engages under the tongue, the Whiffletree being received between the portions 9 and 11 and 10 and 12 of the upper jaw, while the tongue is received between the portions 26 and 27 of the lower jaw and with the portion 25 of the web against the lower face of the tongue.

It is of course understood that the wires of which this device is made are of spring material, so that the extremities 17 of the arms 13 and 14 will be held in engagement with the perforations of the lantern-frame, and it will too be further understood thatthe specific structure shown may be varied under different conditions and that any suitable materials may be used.

What is claimed is- 1. A lantern-holder comprising two springwires which are pivotally connected and are bent to form cooperating jaws, one of the wires being bent at the opposite side of its pivots from its jaw to form springs and having its extremities connected with the second wire, and the second wire having its ends adapted for engagement with the frame of a lantern.

2. A lantern-holder comprising two springwires, both of which are bent to formcoopcrating jaws, the extremities of which jaws project toward each other, and which wires are'pivotally connected for movement of the jaws toward and away from each other, one of the wires being bent beyond its pivots from its jaw, to form springs and having its extremities connected with the second wire, and the second wire having its extremities bent inwardly for pivotal connection with perforations in a lantern-frame.

3. A lantern -holder comprising pivoted members having cooperating jaws, said members being adapted to stand normally with their jaws in engaging positions, and the extremities of one member opposite to the jaw thereof being adapted for engagement with the frame of the lantern.

4. A lantern-holder comprising two men1 bers pivotally connected and comprising cooperating jaws, each of said jaws being formed from a spring-wire, the ends of one wire being bent inwardly for engagement with a lantern-frame and the ends of the opposite wire being bent to form springs and having their extremities engaged with the first wire.

5. A lantern-holder comprising two members 'pivotally connected, each of said members consisting of a single wire bent upon it self to form side portions and a connectingweb, each of said wires being bent adjacent the web to form encircling-jaws, one of the Webs being bent into U shape, one of the wires having its extremities bent toward each other for engagement with a lantern-frame, and the other wire being bent to form a spring and having its extremities connected with tho other wire.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT E. MOCONLEY. Witnesses:

FRANK WILLIAMs, C. H. MCDONALD. 

